


Daffodils

by Treekianthia



Category: Bravely Default (Video Game) & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Flowers, Friendship Problems, Loneliness, Minor Incident of Ringabel being Ringabel, Minor mentions of Tiz and Agnès, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 21:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14923238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: After visiting her friends in Norende, Edea finds herself sitting alone in a small café. Though everything around her seems peaceful, her own emotions make a mess of things. (Fic Archive: 9/23/17)





	Daffodils

**Author's Note:**

> The following fic was originally posted to outside sources on 09/23/17. It is being posted here for archival purposes and to help document my progress as a writer. More info on myself and my works can be found on my tumblr blog woodland-knight.

_Things have changed… But we’re still the same… Nothing is different… Right?_

Edea sat alone at the corner table of a small Caldisian café. Baskets of stray flowers hung from the ceiling above, and beautifully arranged bouquets were placed in vases on each table that filled the small dining area. It was a popular little place, evident by the crowd that had continuously been growing since she had arrived, yet Edea was too busy focusing on her own thoughts to notice what was going on around her. She had been sitting there for quite some time now, poking a piece of cake she had ordered instead of eating it, and thinking about the days prior. There was much on her mind that she wanted to sort through before she left, and she had figured this would be the best place to do it.

Originally, she had come to this country for political reasons. Now that she was the Grand Marshal of Eternia, she had set up a meeting with the King of Caldis in order to discuss the possibility of establishing an airship travel line between this country and her own. The meeting had gone smoothly enough, and once it ended, Edea had decided to sneak away from Kamiizumi and Einheria to go see Tiz and Agnès in Norende. It had been many months since she had last seen her friends, so she wanted to catch up with them and discuss how they had been. It also gave her a chance to see how well the two were adjusting to life together.

“Honestly, I really can’t be that surprised,” Edea mumbled to herself as she looked at the flowers on her table. This bouquet consisted mostly of roses and tulips, but a stray daffodil had made its way into the vase. It was the only one of the flowers that was showing signs of early wilting, which made it stick out even more from the rest.

From her visit Edea could conclude that Tiz and Agnès were perfectly fine, and in her opinion, even closer than they already had been. Life together had brought something out in the both of them, and Edea couldn’t see any way they could become any happier- well, at least for now. They worked together, smiled together, laughed together…. It was the perfect life for the perfect couple. It would warm anyone’s heart to see them so happy...

“So why don’t I feel happy for them?” Edea asked herself before sighing. She wasn’t really one to talk to herself, but something about it made her feel a bit better. With how she was feeling now, it was the best she could do to try and sort her emotions out. Unsure of what to make of her feelings, Edea continued to stare at the flowers in front of her. A light breeze blew against them from an open window nearby, and a few petals managed to blow away.

Admittedly, Edea thought she had been jealous at first. She had finally admitted to herself quite some time ago that seeing happy couples made her own heart hurt, so she thought perhaps those pains were returning to her. The more she watched and talked with the two though, the more she realized that wasn’t the case. Her heart felt no pangs of jealousy towards the two, and the more they discussed the wedding, the more excited she was for it! ...but if it wasn’t jealousy, what was it? What was keeping her from being truly happy for her friends?

Not feeling hungry, Edea put her fork down and leaned back in her chair. Above her, she could see a basket filled with lily-of-the-valleys and a few more daffodils. She assumed the singular daffodil must have fallen from above and been placed in the vase afterwards, as some of the flowers were in the same wilting state. Edea found it a bit sad to see such beautiful flowers wilting away, but it was bound to happen. All flowers bloomed and died eventually, no matter how well they were taken care of.

“Miss, are you alright? You haven’t touched your cake.”

Edea, a bit surprised by the sudden voice, glanced over at a waiter standing next to her. “Huh? Oh um, yes, I’m… Fine,” she said as she lowered the chair back down. She didn’t sound convincing, but she hadn’t been expecting somebody to try and talk to her. Thankfully, the waiter didn’t seem to want to pry, but the smile he gave her in response seemed a bit forced.

“Well, your coffee will be done soon, miss, and I do apologize about the wait. If you need anything else, please let me know,” the waiter informed her with a bow. A second later, however, a customer called out from the other side of the dining area, and the waiter had to rush off before Edea could say anything more.

Sighing again, Edea stared down at the the slice of strawberry shortcake she had ordered. It had been given to her about twenty minutes prior, but there was barely a dent in it. It’s not that it didn’t look appetizing- in fact, it was the café’s specialty and looked delicious! ...she just couldn’t bring herself to take a bite of it. It was as if her own body didn’t want her to.

“Ugh, this is so stupid!” she complained as she banged her elbows against the table and put her head in her hands. It attracted quite a bit of attention from the other customers, but Edea didn’t notice, nor would she have cared.

The more she sat there, the more Edea’s feelings conflicted with each other. She knew deep in her heart that she should be happy for her friends, but something inside her had twisted it into a different feeling entirely. That feeling now nagged at her from the back of her mind, and the more she talked to the two… The more that feeling grew. It had become something that she couldn’t get rid of, and no matter how hard she tried, it only continued to take a tighter hold on her…

Tiz and Agnès had changed, and Edea was having a hard time accepting it.

On the outside, Tiz and Agnès weren’t any different. Well, Tiz had finally trimmed his hair and Agnès was dressed more appropriately for the life of a shepherd, but that wasn’t the point. They both looked and sounded exactly the same as they had before, and there wasn’t anything that necessarily stuck out. They were the the Tiz and Agnès that everybody knew, and everyone treated them as such. It was as if nothing different had happened at all.

Yet Edea had noticed something that nobody else had. Not with their looks, but with whom they had become. Small little changes in their personality that Edea had caught onto; things they had gotten from each other. It wasn’t anything more than Agnès making a few silly farming puns, or Tiz muttering a quiet “unacceptable” under his breath- not anything that would cause harm. With how simple it truly was, it shouldn’t have bothered her in the slightest!

...but it did. It bothered her to no end.

“What is wrong with me…?” Edea asked herself as she stared down at the table. She wondered if this was something normal for people to go through, or if she was causing more trouble than she needed to. She also had fears that if she let this go on for too long, it would permanently damage her friendship with the two. It didn’t help that she lived so far away either, as it meant her friends were likely to change more and more with each visit. She worried that before long, the two of them would become people she couldn’t even recognize anymore.

_No… No… That wouldn’t happen… Would it?_

Edea could feel a pounding in her chest, and the twisted feeling of her heart started to take over her thoughts. They shifted back and forth between her mess of feelings, and no matter how much she tried to get a grip on herself, she kept slipping deeper into her own doubts. She just wanted to be happy for her friends, but forcing herself was only making her feel worse. In the end, she could only feel like a terrible friend who couldn’t support the ones she cared for. She felt she was the real problem in all of this.

“Miss… Miss, here. Take this…”

Edea lifted her head and turned to see the waiter holding out a handkerchief towards her. Other patrons of the café were staring at her and whispering amongst themselves, and the unwanted attention made her feel uncomfortable. It took her a moment to realize she had started crying, and it seemed she was causing a scene because of it. Embarrassed, Edea took the handkerchief and started to wipe away her tears. She couldn’t help but notice it smelled like daffodils.

“I-i’m sorry, I should leave. I’m causing a disturbance,” Edea said as she searched for some pg to pay with. Her tears were making it a bit difficult to find the amount she needed, and she started to worry she might not even have enough on her. Putting his hand on Edea’s shoulder, the waiter smiled.

“It would be rude of us to kick out a maiden in need, so take as much time as you need to calm down, miss,” he told her with a soft and comforting voice. “A regular has offered to pay for your entire meal, so order as much comfort food as you’d like.”

Feeling grateful, Edea nodded her head before sniffling. “T-thank you… I really am sorry for causing a scene, though…” she apologized as she looked back down at her cake. “I’m just dealing with a lot of… P-personal issues right now…”

The waiter nodded in understanding. “It’s alright, miss. You’re not the first person who’s come through with a piece of baggage or two,” he explained to her. He sounded sincere, and it brought a bit of comfort to Edea. She couldn’t help but wonder how often he’s seen something like this happen before, but she was still a bit embarrassed she had let it happen in the first place.

“I’ll t-try to not be in your hair for t-too long,” Edea promised as she wiped a few more tears. “I d-don’t want to drive away your customers…”

The waiter shook his head. “Don’t worry, that won’t be a problem. Mostly everyone here today is a regular, so they’ve seen their fair share of things as well,” he continued to explain. “Just let me know if you need anything else, okay?”

Nodding again, Edea took a look at her cake and then the empty tray in the waiter’s hand. “I-is… Is there any chance I’ll have my coffee soon?” she asked. She thought maybe once she had a cup of coffee, eating her cake would become a bit more easy.

Suddenly, as if he had forgotten something, the waiter rushed off to the kitchen. A few moments later, he came rushing back out with a tray of coffee in hand, trying his best to balance it as he did so. As he placed it down, Edea noticed that a second cup of coffee had been placed on the tray along with hers. She only needed one of course, but she couldn’t help but wonder why the second was there. Perhaps it was the staff apologizing for it taking so long?

“Two cups of coffee, as requested!” the waiter told her as he straightened back up. Confused, Edea looked at the coffee and then back at the waiter. Had there been some sort of mix up?

“I’m… Pretty sure I only ordered one,” she told the waiter in a somewhat meek manner. Most of the customers had stopped staring at her now that her tears were mostly dry, but she still felt a bit uncomfortable. The waiter, meanwhile, took out a small notepad and flipped through it.

“Mmm… Two orders of coffee and a slice of cake for the corner table,” he read before looking back at Edea. “I assumed you had been waiting for a guest. Do you want me to take it back?”

Edea shook her head. “Ah, no… I must have ordered it on accident,” she assumed before bringing one of the cups closer to her. It smelled bitter and strong; she’d definitely need to sweeten it up before trying to drink it.

“Oh, really? Then I assume the journal is yours then?” the waiter asked her as he pointed at the chair across from her. There on the cushion sat a black leather-bound journal, looking as if it were left there without a care. “You placed it there when you came in, and since it didn’t really fit your image, I thought you were trying to return it to somebody… A possible date?”

Edea sighed. “No, it’s not mine, well, it’s in my possession temporarily and I do plan to return it, but… It’s complicated, and… Rather personal,” she explained before looking away. “If you don’t mind… Can I be left alone for a bit? I have some things I need to think about...”

Realizing he had overstepped his boundaries, the waiter bowed in apology. “Y-yes, of course! I-if you need anything else, don’t be afraid to give me a shout!” he stuttered. With that, he ran off to go deal with the other customers again, and Edea was once more left with her own thoughts.

_What a mess she was in…_  She couldn’t even seem to think straight with how much was going on. First it was her uncertain feelings towards Tiz and Agnès’ small changes in personality, then it was doubts towards herself and their friendship, and now it was the fact she had ordered two cups of coffee as if somebody else was there with her. So much seemed to be going on all at once, and it left her unable to make sense of anything. Perhaps she was just overworked, or perhaps she needed to see a doctor… It wouldn’t hurt her at this point.

Looking out the window, Edea continued to try and sort out everything in her head. The twisted feeling of her heart had settled down once she had realized she was crying, but there was still a slight pain left over. It was a pain she knew she had felt before, but she was still uncertain of what it was. She had already established it wasn’t the pains of jealousy, and it wasn’t the pains of self-loathing and hatred. It was a different kind of pain, one that made her heart heavy. One that had been caused by the second cup of coffee.

Glancing over at the cup, Edea was surprised to see something floating on top of it. It had seemed the single daffodil in the vase had lost one of its petals, and that petal had landed in the dark brew below it. Knowing it wouldn’t do anything for the flavor, Edea reached over and took the petal out.  _Strange… This petal showed no sign of wilting._  She wondered why it had managed to break off in the first place; the poor daffodil looked a bit sad without it, perhaps even a little bit lonely…

_Lonely…_

Edea sat silently for a moment before leaning to look at the journal. She honestly had no memories of placing it there, but she knew she had been keeping it with her this entire time. She must have placed it down out of habit, or else she would have had it on her lap this entire time. Though why would placing it down like that be a habit? It’s not as if she was trying to save somebody a spot… Unless… She was.

All at once, Edea felt a wave of emotions wash over her as her feelings started to sort themselves out. Finally, she could begin to understand why she was feeling the way she had been. Her inability to be happy for her dear friends, the pain she felt, and all of her actions at this little café… It was because she was lonely; lonely because her friends were so far away and slipping away from what she knew, lonely because she never had anybody to turn to when she needed it, lonely because the one she loved was still gone from her life… Lonely because… Nobody was around anymore.

Seeing Tiz and Agnès so happy with each other, it made Edea feel she really didn’t need to be around anymore. Even though she knew they still cared for her dearly, her heart was telling her that they could still easily forget about her. That had manifested itself into the twisted pains in her heart, and at the core of it all was a feeling of unwavering loneliness. That’s why she couldn’t accept they had picked up habits from each other. It was because it reflected how much time they spent together as a happy couple and how rare being able to talk with each other truly was.

She had tried to cope with all of this by coming to a place where people were bound to notice her, and she had unconsciously placed the journal down and ordered two cups of coffee out of hope that by some miracle, Ringabel would show up and remind her that she was loved and cared for, by both him and their friends. He’d even remind her that Yew and Magnolia would always be there for her as well, and they’d sit down and have a cup of coffee together. She had been hoping for the impossible at this point, and it was manifesting itself in ways she originally couldn’t understand. She truly was a mess of her own emotions.

It all made sense now, however, and she felt she had finally gotten a grip on her own, slightly unstable reality. Tears started to stream down her face again, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop sobbing. The other customers had started to look over again, and a few started to come over to help her. Within moments, she was surrounded by people hugging her and telling her everything was going to be okay. Even if she didn’t know any of them and they didn’t really know what was going on, it was still comforting to hear.

“It’s okay, dear… You’re going to be okay,” an older woman whispered to her…

“You’ll find somebody who loves you just as much as you love them one day… Don’t cry, honey,” said another…

It seemed they had been under the impression she had been stood up on a date, and though that wasn’t the case, she still appreciated their kind words. Her sobs weren’t lessening any, but it was nice to know that somebody out there cared, even if they were strangers. Over time, their words were enough to start to calm her down, and customers began to return to their tables until only two older women and young girls remained. They continued to assure her everything would be okay, and one of them even held her hand. At some point, Edea even noticed the waiter coming back over to her.

“Ah, e-excuse me!” he stuttered nervously as he approached. “By any chance, um… Does your name happen to be Edea?”

A bit confused, Edea turned her attention to the waiter. “A-ah, yes… I’m… A-actually the Grand Marshal of Eternia to be precise… Why do you ask?” she asked as she used the handkerchief to once again wipe away tears. A bit starstruck, the waiter held out a giant bouquet of flowers out to her.

“A s-strange gentlemen came up to me outside and told me to give these to you! He said ‘Give these to the lovely woman at the corner table! You’ll know her by the cute freckles on her face and those lovely blue eyes of hers’!” he explained with the same nervous manner. Even more confused, Edea took the flowers from the waiter’s hand.

“T-thank… You?” she said as she looked at the different flowers making up the bouquet. There were bellflowers, daisies, roses, tulips… And oddly enough, a single daffodil in the center of it all. Edea, however, also noticed one more thing: a note that was tucked neatly within the bouquet. Taking it out, Edea opened it and began to read it.

_Dear Edea,_

_Apologies I had to miss our date! I’m trying my best to make my way back to you, but there’s still much more I need to do before I’ll be able to. Do me a favor though and finish that slice of cake of yours, and make sure you drink enough coffee for the both of us. Oh, and don’t forget to talk to Tiz and Agnès whenever you feel lonely! They miss you quite a bit too, so I’m sure they’d love to hear from you more often. Why not plan a trip with them and your Geneolgia friends? I’m sure there’s much you can discuss that doesn’t have to do with the wonders of romance! I don’t want you to live your life filled with unhappiness and tears._

_Just wait a little longer for me though, alright? I’ll promise to be back to dry those tear soon._

_Yours truly, now and forever,_

_\- R_

“I-it’s not a date, idiot…” Edea whispered to herself before sniffling. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised so much as who the flowers were from, but how they had gotten there, however, was a mystery. How had he known she was here and that she had been feeling lonely? And where did he get flowers like this in such a pinch? He really did like having a mysterious flare to him, didn’t he?

“Are these from the boy who stood you up???” one of the younger girls asked curiously.

“Or perhaps a girlfriend?” the other asked as she looked over Edea’s shoulder. A bit annoyed by the questions, Edea shook her head and placed the bouquet down on the table.

“Boyfriend… They’re from my boyfriend... “ she told the two. Though she and Ringabel weren’t technically dating, she figured it would get the two girls to stop prying so much. “He’s currently away on… Business, so we don’t get to see each other that often.”

“You think a decent young man would have at least come in and given you the flowers himself,” one of the older women pointed out. Edea shook her head again, fully understanding why Ringabel had the waiter do it instead, and looked over.

“The fact he gave them to me at all means enough to me,” she told the older woman. “Really, it’s a miracle they made it to me at all with how busy he is all the time.”

The eyes of the younger girls widened. “Is he some sort of secret lover!?”

“Are you perhaps dating a man who’s already married!?”

“Now, now, you two! Leave the Grand Marshal alone!” the waiter interrupted. “She is obviously having a very hard day today, and the two of you prying at her is not helping! Go along now and run back to your father!”

The two girls pouted. “Oh, you’re no fun, Hector!” they said before storming off. Edea was relieved to see them go, and the two older woman stood to make their leave as well.

“You’ll have to excuse Primrose and Willow. They’re just as nosy as their mother once was,” the older of the two woman said. The slightly younger woman scowled.

“Mother, I was not nosy!” she complained before shaking her head. “I do apologize for their behavior, though. They get it from their father.”

“It’s… Not a problem, really. I have a friend who’s similar to them in that retrospect,” Edea told the two women. She didn’t think she was very convincing, but she was at least telling the truth.

“Don’t let their questions get to you. You obviously have a very different love life than most girls your age, and you have a right to keep to yourself,” the elder woman said with a subtle nod. “Just don’t go marrying that boy until he can deliver flowers to you himself.”

“Mother, stay out if this!” the younger woman scolded before turning to the waiter. “We’ll be going now too, Hector. Just let us know how much the Lady Grand Marshal owes next time we’re in, and I’ll pay it all off,” she told him before looking back at Edea. “I hope it works out for you, dear. From the way you put it, your boyfriend took quite the risk to give you those flowers. You’re lucky to have such a kind boy giving you attention.”

Edea placed her hands in her lap and looked at three. “Thank you… To both of you, and… Hector was it?” she said as she looked at the waiter. “It’s not perfect, but… I feel a bit better than when I first arrived. I think I’ve sorted some things out, but… There’s some people I need to talk to first.”

“G-glad to be of service!” Hector stuttered a bit louder than he probably meant to. His ears were turning pink, and Edea felt she must have embarrassed him. Laughing, the older woman took Hector’s arm in her own.

“Come along, Hector. You have more work to do,” she said as she walked the boy away. Her daughter followed, and Edea was once more left to herself, the flowers, and a tray of coffee and cake.

A lot had happened since she had arrived, and even as her visited neared its end, she was still feeling overwhelmed. Though she had found some of the answers she was looking for, she had yet to find the closure that she needed. It would take time for her to fully adjust to what was going on, but until then, she’d try to wish her friends all the happiness she could and find the time to spend with them. Her own self-doubt would always come back at one point or another, but she felt a bit better knowing somebody was still watching out for her. Looking over at her bouquet, Edea safely tucked the letter she had received back into it.

There was, however, still one more thing left for her to do before she could leave. Bringing the tray closer to her, she took the two cups of coffee and sweetened them up to her liking before placing them next to her plate. Grabbing her fork, she finally dug into her cake and took a bite, just like Ringabel had asked of her. It was just as delicious as she thought it would be, even if it had been standing for quite some time now. As she continued to eat, she glanced over at the flowers she was given. They were all beautiful, but…

_The daffodils were her favorite..._

**Author's Note:**

> This fic in particular hits very close to home for me. Though I wasn't having any romantic troubles when I wrote it, I was having troubles adjusting to my best friend having a boyfriend. I wrote this fic as a way to try and get those feelings sorted out, but it really just turned into another Rindea fic. I don't regret writing it the way I did, however, and I feel it's just a tad bit better since I was pulling from my own emotions.
> 
> But that's up to interpretation, I guess?


End file.
